Asia-Pacific

S.Korea confirms 3 citizens kidnapped in Nigeria

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2007-05-03 15:37

South Korean Foreign Ministry confirmed 12 people, including three South Koreans, were kidnapped by unidentified insurgents at a construction site in Nigeria early Thursday.

Twelve workers, including three South Koreans, eight Filipinos and one Nigerian, employed by South Korea's Daewoo Engineering and Construction Co., were taken hostage early Thursday (Nigerian time) in Rivers State in the Niger Delta area, the ministry said.

The ministry said it has established an emergency control center, consisting of officials from the South Korean construction firm and the South Korean Embassy there, to work for an early release of the hostages.

The workers were taken hostage from a power plant construction site following a 40-minute shoot-out between the militants and Nigerian soldiers and security officials guarding the construction site, reportedly leaving several dead and wounded, South Korea's Yonhap News Agency reported.

The construction company identified the kidnapped Koreans as a 52-year-old executive, identified only by his surname Jeong, who was on a business trip to the West African state, a 53-year-old executive and a 50-year-old director in charge of the construction project.

The company said there were no other South Korean hostages or casualties.